Orvis RATIO Reel Review - Great New Saltwater Fly Reels with Impressive Price and Performance
How is this reel so good compared to most other nice saltwater reels which cost 30-50% more!? The Ratio wins on Weight, Drag Force, and Price!
Check the new Orvis RATIO or the full selection of ORVIS Reels
Look at the stats to see the large arbor and lighter weight than the majority of other reels on the market. Then pick one up and be surprised again because it's lighter than you think. This new reel is a major win for Orvis in saltwater.
There are new colors for 2026 like Gold as well as the classic "Blackout" all black and a silver/blue combo which Orvis calls "Deep Sea" which I really like.
It's no coincidence that I chose to pair this reel with many of the Orvis Helios combos (and as an option with some of the New Orvis Recon combos). It performs spectacularly well, hits a great price point, has a fully sealed carbon fiber drag, and is protected by the unmatched ORVIS guarantee.
This new reel is a major win for Orvis in saltwater.
Pretty cool drag force chart for all you nerds who like this sort of thing. I don't really care much personally as I'll test these in the real world but for all my science/engineering and other technical customers this probably will make you buy one. In case you aren't technical, this basically says the Ratio is more better... I'm kidding but it really shows the pounds of drag (left side) vs how many turns of the drag knob (at bottom, in degrees like "180" half rotation or "360" etc for number of rotations). Orvis basically figures one single turn is not really precise enough and they are able to make sure the power applies very evenly and also exceeds most other drags. Again, stop cranking down your drag so much guys, it isn't useful, but if you really wanted to do that, this reel will do it better than most others.
This is now my go-to option for most 8-9wt rods and at $549 in that size, it's easy to see why. Most competitors are in the $800+ price range, and they also weigh more as well.
Might as well shave down the weight and the price, and the Orvis RATIO does both.
Feel free to contact us with any questions and remember to support our reviews by shopping here! This is the link to our selection of ORVIS Reels
*Keep in mind we have been a bit slammed here at the shop but I will write a full in-depth review and add much more to this as soon as I have time. Customers first!
